Mexican politics, with all its populism and clientelism, is a stimulating lens for interpreting events in the Swamp of Washington, D.C. For example, Mexico City’s top radio news show now starts every day discussing whatever President Trump has tweeted so far. It’s a small world after all.

Still, Trump’s early-morning tweets remind me of populist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s (know as AMLO) strategy as Mexico City mayor: He would hold a press conference every single weekday at around 6 a.m. Most early news shows would start by discussing what he said. The rest of the day, pundits would discuss AMLO’s positions.